New boaters

[not2bright]

i come from a family that restored old cars and tours them all over. when you look at a nice tour ready teens-20s car your looking at 30K+ for one car. now does are hobby look expencive?

 

[Finne]

hmm. you know, you may be right.

I mena I DID go for the expensive and complex boat building instead of the cheep and easy car.

but even tho I live in a harbour city with plenty of water, there is no boating club t be found anywhere close by.

I have to drive several hours to find even a small one.... and I don't have a car.

so what do I do?

I try to get some friends to start the hobby to so we can form a club.

And here comes the sneaky part.

They're more interested in ripping up gravel then in boats, so we're planning to get a bunch of similar cars so we can race.... then when they're hooked on rc, i let them try my boat

Think it will work? hehehe...

 

[Don Templeton]

Great idea Finne! You're on the right track and sounds to me like you're gonna get there.

Don

 

[Ron Olson]

We can talk this to death but what really needs to be done is to ask the prospective/new boater what would it take to get them to the races. How about those that don't race that are in here? What would it take to get you to show up? A low cost one or two race membership fee?

If I decided to try crashing planes at our local flying field, I'd have to get an AMA membership. We have the same thing here, some people that would rather run at their local pond that doesn't require joining a sanctioning body but miss out on what happens at a race.

 

[Joe_Knesek]

Ron, your on track regarding the membership fee. This year, I spent $90 me and my 2 kids to join the IMPBA. Any outsider looking into this hobby will likely be more disturbed about the membership fee than the price of the boat. Reducing he membership fees for the 1st year would be more attractive.

The price of the boat is not what is holding people back and if it is, then they are not cut out for the hobby. Directing them to build a boat that is not part of the mainstream will cuase them to loose interest when they realize they have to build a new boat to continue to enjoy the hobby.

In the last 2 years, both of my kids began racing, and I asked them for input before we built them boats. In both cases, they wanted a boat capable of winning and that's what we build. My son and I are building a Lynx and my daughter has a Speedmaster.

A few other boaters have been critical saying a novice shouldn't have top shelf equipment but I disagree. We have never left a race with them upset because the boat was too slow. Instead, we talk on the way home about when we will be able to go to another race. That's the type of experiance every new racer should have.

 

[bzubee]

Joe funny you should mention that I am working on just that type of incentive. We need to look at our financial status in a couple of months. TH ereduction will be for 1st time members onlywho have never had an IMPBA memberhsip number assigned. I have already mentioned this to the board to take a look at.

 

[Tim Kish]

I think Joe touched on another point and maybe didn't realize it himself.

Why not a one price family membership so that people like Joe

can get a bit of a bit of a break.

Just another incentive .

Tim K

 

[chunk t]

We can talk this to death but what really needs to be done is to ask the prospective/new boater what would it take to get them to the races. How about those that don't race that are in here? What would it take to get you to show up? A low cost one or two race membership fee?

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Ron,

For me it's all an issue of time & lack of club support. Example, I would have to come up with a pit man and caller for my heats. Finding an available boater in a popular class like B-Tunnel could be tough since most of the boaters at the race would be compeating in those heats. My 4-year old won't cut it & the wife... let's not go there

I can find a way to come up with the money(and I don't have a six $$$,$$$ income). As to a "per race" membership. Great idea. Since few if any clubs put on a summer race series at their pond (which would easily justify IMPBA or such membership), it will allow a "local" to try his/her hand at racing when a race is within a reasonable distance to travel.

An other thought or two...

1. Once that local/new racer shows up at the pond, they may not be aware that they need a pitman, caller or other support. A special pit area staffed by club volunteers to help those new people would be of benefit.

2. The club, if so willing, could take on the liability of an unlicensed "rookie" race. We have that in bicycling and it is received quite well.

3. A club COULD put on a race series at their pond with some loose rules, sort of on the order of run what you brung. The first and third Tuesday of every month, May through August. That makes is easy to bring someone new and even the locals who don't race will know you're out there every Tuesday (just like Church, there's an oppertunity to bring someone new every Sunday ).

chunk t

 

[Ron Olson]

One thing that's great about our hobby/sport is that if you need help, there is always someone willing to jump in and do it. I've had problems before with getting my boat fired or have needed a pit man and there was always one or more people there to assist me. I in turn am there if someone needs some help or a part that I have in one of my toolboxes.

 

[Propjockey]

If I decided to try crashing planes at our local flying field, I'd have to get an AMA membership.

Not true Ron. The AMA has two ways to fly legal without shelling out the dough for a full membership.

Taken from the AMA site...

Introductory Membership

Membership valid for 3 months from date of acceptance, expires at end of 3rd full month, USA only. Fees are transferable to a full membership within the ninety day program (You must contact the AMA Membership department at 1-87-RENEWAMA (1-877-363-9262) before your trial membership expires).

Introductory Pilot Program

Many AMA Chartered Clubs have instructor programs for newcomers to the hobby/sport of aeromodeling. Such programs help both the club and model aviation grow. However, many people wishing to get involved with model flying do not necessarily want to join a club or purchase an AMA membership until they are sure they will like the hobby/sport and do well enough to wish to invest in equipment.

The AMA Introductory Pilot Program caters to such people. This program allows a non-AMA member to fly at a club field and be AMA insured for liability coverage provided the new flier is under the supervision of a chartered club designated Introductory Pilot. The designated Introductory Pilot must be an adult AMA member and have paid a $5 Administrative Fee. Individuals who are designated as Introductory Pilots must keep records of every activity involving non-AMA members, including ground instruction and flying lessons.

If the sanctioning bodies for boating could adopt a similar plan...who knows?